Phoenix connector to RCA cable - questions

[Xer Xian]

Didn't know they did a matrix VGA switch. Looks like it too uses phoenix connectors for audio input though.

The SW Series has standard 3.5mm stereo inputs. I was going to pull the trigger on an SW8 to route both VGA and Component sources, but ultimately I didn't fearing that there wouldn't be enough room to place a Component to VGA/HD15 adapter and a 2RCA to 3.5mm adapter beside.. I ended up getting a ShinyBow SB-5526. Will still have to get a smaller VGA switcher down the road..

Extron also did modular matrix switchers which you could load up as you please.. up to 40x40 VGA

[FinalBaton]

So I'm looking to find a quick solution on getting a phoenix to rca adapter. I simply want to test out my Extron Matrix switcher that I just got to make sure all of the slots are working correctly. I'd personally prefer an adapter over having to modify any wires. Has anyone tried placing an order with Extron over the phone? If so how long does it take them to ship you some? Second question is has anyone tried asking wookieewin on ebay to make these with any success? Or even have a different location I could maybe purchase these from?

can't guarantee you he'll do it, but drewmantrivia offered his services on the middle of page 1 of this thread for making phoenix-to-rca cables. He actually did mine. He was pleasent to deal with and his prices were great. You can try hit him up and ask him if he's willing to do some for you.

[Dragon89o]

Well I called Extron and they don't sell directly. So I'm being referred to a third party seller of theirs I believe. So I'll update you on the pricing later today hopefully.

[nmalinoski]

The SW Series has standard 3.5mm stereo inputs. I was going to pull the trigger on an SW8 to route both VGA and Component sources, but ultimately I didn't fearing that there wouldn't be enough room to place a Component to VGA/HD15 adapter and a 2RCA to 3.5mm adapter beside.

I always get concerned about how much stress one of those solid 2xRCA to 3.5mm adapters puts on the 3.5mm jack. I decided to use one of this style of adapter for my OSSC. You might have better luck with one of these next to a 3xRCA to HD15 adapter on the Extron switch. (Yeah, I know, it's a bit late for that.)

Personally, I've been considering the SW8 VGA Ars. Where were you looking to get one? Did you contact Extron directly?

[mvsfan]

Your better off buying a whole cable that adapts 3.5mm to RCA, not an adapter.

For example, they make some crappy dvi to hdmi adapters. Basically, it adapts a DVI cable to hdmi (and puts all the stress on the hdmi jack.)

Dont do this. much better to get an hdmi to Dvi Cable instead with it the weight on the hdmi jack is the same as a regular hdmi cable.

Something like this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dynex-DX-AV240 ... SwFqNZQMZW

[nmalinoski]

Your better off buying a whole cable that adapts 3.5mm to RCA, not an adapter.

Generally, I agree. The best option would be to get a vendor like Retro-Access or Retro Gaming Cables to build a custom cable with a Phoenix or 3.5mm connector for audio, depending on the application; however, adapters are readily available and significantly cheaper, and I'm sure most people wouldn't notice any sort of quality loss.

[bobrocks95]

The SW Series has standard 3.5mm stereo inputs. I was going to pull the trigger on an SW8 to route both VGA and Component sources, but ultimately I didn't fearing that there wouldn't be enough room to place a Component to VGA/HD15 adapter and a 2RCA to 3.5mm adapter beside.

I always get concerned about how much stress one of those solid 2xRCA to 3.5mm adapters puts on the 3.5mm jack. I decided to use one of this style of adapter for my OSSC. You might have better luck with one of these next to a 3xRCA to HD15 adapter on the Extron switch. (Yeah, I know, it's a bit late for that.)

Personally, I've been considering the SW8 VGA Ars. Where were you looking to get one? Did you contact Extron directly?

You're not going to like the price that Extron quotes you for a new switch. I got my 12 input on ebay for I think $30-40.

[Xer Xian]

I always get concerned about how much stress one of those solid 2xRCA to 3.5mm adapters puts on the 3.5mm jack. I decided to use one of this style of adapter for my OSSC. You might have better luck with one of these next to a 3xRCA to HD15 adapter on the Extron switch. (Yeah, I know, it's a bit late for that.)

Thanks - yes, there are ways to make sure component+audio cables do fit in, like sourcing HD15 adapters with single breakout cables. However, these generally have five BNC connectors, which then would require getting BNC to RCA adapters.. it didn't seem like a neat solution to me. When I found an eBay listing for the ShinyBow in Europe, I decided to go for that instead. Well, I guess a 4-switch totem (SCART, VGA, Component and RCA Audio) isn't a very neat solution either, but whatever

Personally, I've been considering the SW8 VGA Ars. Where were you looking to get one? Did you contact Extron directly?

Sorry, I didn't remember correctly - it was an MVX 84 actually. It still comes with standard audio inputs and has two more outputs, but is not automatic.. Extron SW8 are not that common apparently (no listings on eBay currently).

[Dragon89o]

Well I just contacted Extron and they referred me to their disturbers since they say they don't sell directly. Called one of them and they quoted me $25 dollars for the RCA to Phoenix cable lol. Called another and they told me around $16.5 dollars before shipping. RetroAccessories is still cheaper though with them selling theirs at $12. Extron's disturbers do sell the blue phoenix connectors for you to make your own though which I might end up doing later on. Just thought I'd post this for anyone who was curious.
The phoenix connectors by them self where you can make your own cord with a tail brand new is $18.75 for 10. Thought I'd update that little bit of information. For future readers of this post who is interested. You can find them cheaper on ebay with free shipping vs having to pay for shipping from Extron's disturbers . They will just be green instead of blue if you care. They won't match but you won't see them unless your connecting or disconnecting something.

[nmalinoski]

Does anyone have a source for stereo (or individuals in red and white) female RCA leads with shielding? I bought a few of these, from Monoprice, but I should've known by their size that they wouldn't have any shielding, but I wasn't expecting the wires to be too small for my wire strippers. :/

[Dragon89o]

Does anyone have a source for stereo (or individuals in red and white) female RCA leads with shielding? I bought a few of these, from Monoprice, but I should've known by their size that they wouldn't have any shielding, but I wasn't expecting the wires to be too small for my wire strippers. :/

Well I personally bought two of these. Not sure if this also works for you or not. They are just a temporary solution until I get actual decent speakers to use in my setup instead of cheap old computer speakers.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=5612

[Ikaruga11]

What exactly is this used for? Are Phoenix connectors different from BNC connectors?

[Dragon89o]

What exactly is this used for? Are Phoenix connectors different from BNC connectors?

Pheonix connectors are used for an Extron Matrix Switcher. I don't know if they have any purpose outside of that or not. It's simply the audio connection type instead of using RCA connectors.
If you zoom into the bottom of the matrix switcher you can see some blue connectors. Look at outputs 5-8 that is where you would input the phoenix connector. If you look at outputs 1-4 they have a connector in there already they are just not wired. You can take normal rca audio cords and strip them and wire them into those.
https://i.imgur.com/aCkS1mq.jpg

[Ikaruga11]

What exactly is this used for? Are Phoenix connectors different from BNC connectors?

Pheonix connectors are used for an Extron Matrix Switcher. I don't know if they have any purpose outside of that or not. It's simply the audio connection type instead of using RCA connectors.
If you zoom into the bottom of the matrix switcher you can see some blue connectors. Look at outputs 5-8 that is where you would input the phoenix connector. If you look at outputs 1-4 they have a connector in there already they are just not wired. You can take normal rca audio cords and strip them and wire them into those.
https://i.imgur.com/aCkS1mq.jpg

Ah, I see. Thank you. Great setup by the way.

Do Extron switchers create any input lag or image degradation? Is Extron the best brand for switchers? How many different kinds are there and what do they do?

[Dragon89o]

Ah, I see. Thank you. Great setup by the way.

Thank you, but it has a long way to go.

Do Extron switchers create any input lag or image degradation? Is Extron the best brand for switchers? How many different kinds are there and what do they do?

To my knowledge no to both of those questions of it causing input lag or loss of image quality. Just make sure to get good shielded cables and keep them shorter.
I know Extron is the most popular brand of matrix switchers among retro gamers but I didn't look too in depth if any other brands made them as well or how they compared. The price was pretty cheap for them already and it did everything I needed.
There is also gscart, jp21, and component switchers but it just depends on your set up and your needs to what you would want to use. There is also VGA switchers which you could technically use. VGA carries a RGBHV signal if I'm not mistaken and I think some people here on the forums have used them for their set ups which could proably inform you better on those.

And were you asking what a matrix switcher does compared to a normal switch? The link below might not be shot in the best quality but it gives you a decent idea. You can save presets for what console goes to what output. So you could have all your consoles connected to your one monitor. Another scenario is you could have your one console going to all your monitors. If you had two monitors you could just send all your consoles to both. So if you have a friend over and if they want to play a different console on another monitor they can do so. They are amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FEF5MRNDyI&t=149s

[nmalinoski]

Well I personally bought two of these. Not sure if this also works for you or not. They are just a temporary solution until I get actual decent speakers to use in my setup instead of cheap old computer speakers.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=5612

Thank you for the suggestion, but I'd need something like this adapter (which looks like it'll be out of stock for another month or so), because it's the female RCA connectors and wire that I need to harvest, so I can connect existing RCA cables into and out of my Crosspoint. I could use the adapters you linked (and, frankly, they're significantly cheaper), but I'd have to additionally get female RCA to female RCA couplers, which, in my experience, tend to slide right off.

[Dragon89o]

Well I personally bought two of these. Not sure if this also works for you or not. They are just a temporary solution until I get actual decent speakers to use in my setup instead of cheap old computer speakers.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=5612

Thank you for the suggestion, but I'd need something like this adapter (which looks like it'll be out of stock for another month or so), because it's the female RCA connectors and wire that I need to harvest, so I can connect existing RCA cables into and out of my Crosspoint. I could use the adapters you linked (and, frankly, they're significantly cheaper), but I'd have to additionally get female RCA to female RCA couplers, which, in my experience, tend to slide right off.

Ah, I think I understand what you are doing. Are you cutting off the aux end and wiring that into a phoenix connector? So your doing a DIY adapter? Or I am missing the mark?
So your trying to do a DIY of this but more shielded?
https://retro-access.com/collections/sc ... itch-boxes

Also is this too short?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6in-6-3-5mm-St ... Sw5vBZcMCp

[nmalinoski]

Ah, I think I understand what you are doing. Are you cutting off the aux end and wiring that into a phoenix connector? So your doing a DIY adapter? Or I am missing the mark?
So your trying to do a DIY of this but more shielded?
https://retro-access.com/collections/sc ... itch-boxes

This is correct; I am indeed trying to make my own RCA to Phoenix adapters, but with shielded cable.

Also is this too short?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6in-6-3-5mm-St ... Sw5vBZcMCp

It's probably just long enough (assuming I don't make any mistakes), but the item description doesn't mention shielding for the cable, and I can find shielded Radio Shack adapters (also on eBay) for about half that price.

[cyborc]

Has anyone ever tried wiring one of these audio connectors for input AND output? Normally you aren't supposed to do this, but the CSR-6 adapter that extron sells is wired this way. According to the diagram it uses a resistor from the negative terminal to ground for each audio channel.



Extron refused to tell me the resistor values, saying it was "proprietary information." The only other info I could find was an old post on AVSforum saying to use 1k resistors. Retro-access claims to use resistors in their cables as well. Has anyone tried making an input/output cable like this, and did it work properly with 1k resistors?

[nmalinoski]

Has anyone ever tried wiring one of these audio connectors for input AND output? Normally you aren't supposed to do this, but the CSR-6 adapter that extron sells is wired this way. According to the diagram it uses a resistor from the negative terminal to ground for each audio channel.

Extron refused to tell me the resistor values, saying it was "proprietary information." The only other info I could find was an old post on AVSforum saying to use 1k resistors. Retro-access claims to use resistors in their cables as well. Has anyone tried making an input/output cable like this, and did it work properly with 1k resistors?

I made my own RCA to Phoenix adapters using the wiring diagrams published by Extron for the Crosspoint Ultra 88, which involves simply wiring the positive RCA leads to their respective positive terminals and the ground leads together into the ground terminal. The negative terminals on the Phoenix connector/Extron side are ignored because RCA only carries unbalanced audio. I am using these without issue for both input and output.

That said, there may be other Extron devices that, for whatever reason, require the negative lines to be tapped for audio to work, but I'm not aware of any.

[cyborc]

My confusion stems from the diagram that shows unbalanced input and output are wired differently



Are your cables wired like the unbalanced output diagram?

[nmalinoski]

My confusion stems from the diagram that shows unbalanced input and output are wired differently

Are your cables wired like the unbalanced output diagram?

All of my adapters are wired according to that unbalanced audio output diagram (Oops), but not grounding the negative terminals on the input side doesn't seem to have any ill effects.

[cyborc]

Now that's interesting. So it works fine without any noise or hum or anything like that? I wonder why they'd have separate input/output wiring diagrams? Not that I don't believe you, I'm just genuinely curious.

[nmalinoski]

Now that's interesting. So it works fine without any noise or hum or anything like that? I wonder why they'd have separate input/output wiring diagrams? Not that I don't believe you, I'm just genuinely curious.

I only get hum when I use my "best N64 S-Video cable".

[FinalBaton]

I only get hum when I use my "best N64 S-Video cable".

Sorry if I made you buy this cable I legit thought they were great

[Dragon89o]

Has anyone ever tried wiring one of these audio connectors for input AND output? Normally you aren't supposed to do this, but the CSR-6 adapter that extron sells is wired this way. According to the diagram it uses a resistor from the negative terminal to ground for each audio channel.



Extron refused to tell me the resistor values, saying it was "proprietary information." The only other info I could find was an old post on AVSforum saying to use 1k resistors. Retro-access claims to use resistors in their cables as well. Has anyone tried making an input/output cable like this, and did it work properly with 1k resistors?

I could take pictures if you want but I ended up buying their offical cords and used it for input and output. I first connected it directly to a bluetooth speaker and it works fine but when I plugged it into my surround sound I do get a buzz. I first thought it was my RCA cables so I bought gold plated shielded ones and the new rca cables still buzz. So I thought it might have been a setting on the audio reciver but I didn't have a chance to mess with it that far yet. I even tried different inputs. So it might be the adapters.

[cyborc]

if you happen to have a multimeter, could you check the resistance between the outer right terminal and the middle terminal?

[Dragon89o]

if you happen to have a multimeter, could you check the resistance between the outer right terminal and the middle terminal?

Ah, I don't have one yet. Link me one you would suggest buying.

[nmalinoski]

I only get hum when I use my "best N64 S-Video cable".

Sorry if I made you buy this cable I legit thought they were great

You didn't; I found it on my own on eBay months ago.

[FinalBaton]

You didn't; I found it on my own on eBay months ago.

Oh! Alrighty then